One Big Illusion
by Frostgage
Summary: The Great and Powerful Trixie seems like just another braggart, who has never needed or wanted friends... but is it really that simple? A journey through Equestria causes her to reflect on her memories, and explore why she acts the way she does. Begins directly after the end of "Magic Duel".
1. Running From The Past

**Author's Note: **_Hello, and thanks for clicking! My name's Frostgage, but call me Frost. Trixie's character has always intrigued me, so I decided to have my first fic feature her. This story will follow Trixie through Equestria, while exploring her memories and why she acts the way she does. Keep in mind that this story begins directly after the end of "Magic Duel". As I have little to no experience, I'm not expecting this to be perfect, but hopefully it turns out alright. Reviews + criticism (not flames) are welcome. That's all for now... hope you enjoy! - Frost_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own MLP. Would be cool if I did, though.

**-** **9:17 PM, Ponyville Train Station -**

"Sorry, girlie. No bits, no ticket," the conductor said.

"Do you know who you're speaking to?" Trixie said smugly. "I am The Great and Powerful Trixie, the most magical pony in all of Equestria! You should be begging Trixie to board your pathetic train."

The conductor seemed unimpressed. "No bits, no ticket," he repeated himself.

Trixie cursed herself. She'd _had _plenty of bits, before she blew them all on that stupid Alicorn Amulet. Now all she wanted was to get as far away from Ponyville and its memories as possible, but her argument with the conductor was clearly going nowhere fast.

"Won't you at least accept a 'Trixie Owes You'"? she asked, followed by nervous laughter. She absolutely hated having to beg for something, and felt that this time she had _truly_ hit rock bottom.

At this point, the conductor had lost his patience. "No bits, no ticket," he said angrily. "Don't make me say it again. Now this train is about to leave, and without a ticket, you're not getting on it." He turned around to leave, before remarking, "Oh, and take off that silly costume. Aren't you a little old to be playing dress-up?" he chuckled to himself as he walked away.

Trixie realized she was still wearing her cape and hat. Sometimes her magician's outfit made her feel more confident, or "Great and Powerful," but right now she just felt like a helpless filly.

From the head of the train, the conductor shouted, "The train to Fillydelphia is about to leave. All aboard who's coming aboard!"

Within a few moments, the train began chugging and slowly pulled away from the station. Just when she was about to give up, Trixie noticed a car near the back of the train was completely empty. Not many ponies must take this train at night. She knew she only had one chance at this. She focused all her magical energy, concentrating on the empty car...

...and managed to teleport inside it, just as the train left the station. The cerulean mare exhaled. It didn't seem as if anypony had seen her. She laid down on one of the seats and looked around the car. Luckily, it was indeed empty. A journey by train from Ponyville to Fillydelphia would go overnight, so if she was lucky, nopony would come in until morning.

The train car itself wasn't the most impressive thing ever. The seats were old and torn, and one of the windows was cracked. It had gotten chilly, so Trixie shut the window behind her and used her cape as a blanket. She felt exhausted after the events of the day, and performing a teleportation spell had taken a lot out of her.

_Hmph..._ she thought. _I'll bet teleportation spells are as easy as walking for Twilight Sparkle. It's not fair... why is everything so easy for her? What makes her so special?_

Trixie sighed and looked out the window. It was a clear, pleasant night. _At least I never have to go back to that wretched town Ponyville, _she thought to herself. She looked into the distance and gazed upon Canterlot, Equestria's capital. Highlighted by Princess Celestia's royal castle, it really was an impressive city.

Trixie scowled. _Speaking of bad memories... that's one place I'll never be able to forget..._

As the weary magician drifted off to sleep, she took off her hat and dreamed of that day from her childhood in Canterlot... the one that changed the course of her life forever.

**-** **10:00 AM, Several Years Ago, Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns -**

The day was finally here that Trixie had been nervously awaiting for months – the day of her entrance exam to Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. Of course, this was just a formality, right? There was no way she wouldn't pass. After all, both of her parents were magically talented unicorns who attended this very same school, and now both worked busy jobs under Princess Celestia. Everypony expected Trixie to be a child prodigy who would follow in her parents footsteps.

What ponies didn't know, however, was that she had no interest in traditional forms of magic, and wasn't very good at it, either. She was much more intrigued by show magic and illusions. Her uncle was a traveling magician who specialized in just that, and whom Trixie idolized. However, none of that mattered right now.

The blue unicorn was in a large classroom. In the top row of seats were four ponies, all unicorns, judging her. Trixie's parents had also come to watch, which only made her more nervous.

The doors in front of her swung open, and in walked an earth pony pushing a small wooden cart. Laying on some hay on top of it was a large, spotted purple egg. According to the label on the side of the cart, it was a dragon egg.

"Ehem..." the judge with glasses cleared her throat. "Miss Lulamoon, your task is very simple – you must manually hatch this dragon egg using magic. You may begin."

Instantly, Trixie knew this would be difficult. "She'll pass this test easily," one judge whispered to another. "Don't be so sure," the other replied. "Nopony has managed to do it yet. Why do you think we still have a dragon egg? They aren't exactly common."

Anxiously, Trixie took a deep breath and focused on the egg. She tried hard to hatch the egg, but nothing was happening. "Well, Ms. Lulamoon?" the bespectacled judge said. Trixie only had one more chance at this. She concentrated absolutely all of her magical ability towards the egg, everything she could muster, and... nothing.

As the defeated filly turned around and walked out of the room, she saw a look of disappointment on her parent's faces that she would never forget.

After Trixie had left the room, the judge with glasses spoke. "Such a shame... hopefully the next applicant will have more success. Will Miss Sparkle please enter the room?"

...

Later that night, Trixie overheard her parents speaking. "Poor Trixie," her mother said. "She really tried her best today."

"I don't understand it," her father replied. "I know she's as magically gifted as any other young unicorn. What went wrong?"

"She seems more interested in the foolish magic your no-good brother performs. Maybe she would be better off traveling around with him," Trixie's mother said jokingly.

That's when it dawned on the young filly – her mom was right, even if she hadn't meant what she said. Trixie realized her destiny was traveling and performing magic, not being stuck here in Canterlot, but her parents would never accept that. She realized there was only one option – to run away from home.

**-** **7:26 AM, Present Day -**

As Trixie woke up from her dream, she felt a warm, pleasant sun, not instantly remembering her current situation. However, that quickly changed when she saw she was staring into the face of a certain _very_ unhappy conductor.


	2. Magical Legacy

**Disclaimer: **Unfortunately, I still don't own MLP. Yet...

**- 7:28 AM, Present Day, Outside An Unknown Train Station -**

"And don't ever come back!" the conductor shouted.

"Hmph. As if The Great and Powerful Trixie would want to," Trixie replied. "The seats were uncomfortable, the car was freezing and Trixie wasn't offered so much as a glass of water by the rather unfriendly staff. You're lucky _anyone_ would pay to ride that thing."

The conductor shook his head and walked back into the station. A minute or so later the train began moving and was soon out of sight. _Good riddance, _Trixie thought.

The train was supposed to go directly to Fillydelphia, but must have made a stop here to pick up more passengers. Trixie had no idea where she was. The unicorn took in her surroundings. To her right was a nice, clear river, on the left was a forest, beyond which she could make out a beautiful pair of snow-capped mountains.

She noticed there was a map outside the station. It marked her current location, along with a few notable cities, such as Canterlot, Fillydelphia and Baltimare. Just south of Baltimare, on the east coast, she saw a name that rang a bell... Horseshoe Bay. That was the place her uncle had now retired to.

_I haven't seen him in years... _Trixie thought. _I've got nowhere else to go... I might as well go and see him. _The blue mare estimated it would take her a day and a half to walk there. According to the map, the river she was standing beside ran directly into Horseshoe Bay, so as long as she walked alongside it she would get there without a problem.

With no reason to wait, she set off towards her destination with nothing but her cape, hat and thoughts.

…

A few hours passed by without incident. It was a pretty nice day, mostly sunny albeit with the occasional cloud. By now, however, Trixie had started getting hungry. As she had nothing to eat, she would have to find something.

After looking around in the forest, she managed to find a collection of wild berries, flowers, and apples from a tree. Suddenly, she noticed a single giant pinecone lying next to a tree. Out of nowhere, she got an incredibly strong urge to bring it with her... "Don't be silly. Why would The Great and Powerful Trixie want to eat a pinecone?" she said aloud to no one in particular.

She took her collection of food back to the river, to ensure she wouldn't get lost. As she started eating, she began to daydream, thinking back to what happened after she ran away from her home in Canterlot all those years ago. She had had to gather food like this frequently until she found her uncle and started traveling with him.

_Those were some of the best days of my life... _She thought to herself. _Traveling Equestria with my uncle, Max, and watching him put on magic shows. If only that could have gone on forever..._

**- 6:30 PM, Several Years Ago, Hoofington Town Square -**

"Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of The Great and Powerful Maximillion!"

He always started his shows this way. The young Trixie idolized her "uncle Maxy" as she called him, and loved watching him perform. She hoped to one day be as good of a showpony as he was.

"Watch in awe as The Great and Powerful Maximillion performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!" he said.

Tonight was a very special show, however – finally, after months of asking, Max had agreed to let Trixie perform alongside him... and it was time for her to introduce herself!

"And, um, don't forget about me, The Great and Powerful Maximillion's assistant, Trixie!"

She was nervous throughout the entire show, but was able to play her part flawlessly. It was an incredible feeling, helping perform all the magic tricks she loved watching so much. After the show had finished, she took a bow and stepped behind the curtain as it fell.

...

Later that night, Trixie was riding in a wagon with Max. Apparently, the owner of the restaurant where they had earlier performed was so pleased, he offered to have two of his workers give them a ride to the local inn.

"You did good tonight, Trix," Max said in his usual friendly tone. He was an average sized brown stallion with a short, spiky black mane, and the same violet eyes as Trixie. "I'm really proud of you." These words meant the world to Trixie. Finally she could truly consider herself a magician, just like her uncle.

"Thank you, uncle Maxy," the young unicorn said excitedly. "But I'll still never be as good as you." "Well, maybe not yet," Max replied with a wink. "But you definitely will be someday."

It was a clear, peaceful night, the perfect time for a relaxing wagon ride. However, just as Trixie began to get sleepy, something went wrong – they were going down a steep hill much faster than they should have been. As it turned out, one of the front wheels had cracked and broken!

They crashed at the bottom of the hill, the wagon barely remaining in one piece. Trixie had braced for impact but felt nothing – Max had used a spell to protect her, while taking the brunt of the damage himself. His legs looked badly injured, and he had cuts and bruises over most of his body.

Tears began to well in Trixie's eyes. "Uncle Maxy... are you okay?" she said weakly. "I-I'm fine," he forced out. He was clearly not fine. "Besides, we've got another show to do tomorrow. I need to be ready for that..."

He was in no condition to perform magic, let alone do anything else. That's when Trixie made a bold decision. "Uncle Maxy, let me do the show," she said confidently.

"What?! By yourself?" he replied. "You're not ready for that yet."

"Yes, I am!" the filly stated confidently. "P-please give me a chance. You can't do a show like this. If you just give me a chance I promise I'll really make you proud of me."

Max pondered this for a few moments. He knew there was no way he would be healed by tomorrow night. "Hmm... okay. The stage is yours," he said. "But first you'll need this..."

Using his magic, he removed his signature purple hat and placed it upon his niece's head. At that moment, something incredible happened – Trixie's flank began to glow. After a few seconds, a mark appeared - a light blue moon with stars and a wand. She had earned her cutie mark!

– **12:25 PM, Present Day –**

Trixie noticed dark clouds had formed overhead, and it would likely begin to rain soon. As she planned her next move, she heard a twig break loudly, and a rustling in the nearby bushes. There was somepony – or something – watching her.


	3. Unexpected

**Disclaimer: **(royal canterlock voice) **WE DOTH NOT OWNETH MINE LITTLE PONY!**

– **12:26 PM, Present Day –**

"Who's there?" Trixie called out. No answer. "Who dares spy on The Great and Powerful Trixie?" Still no answer. The unicorn began to wonder if she had just been hearing things.

She began to turn away but stopped when the bushes started rustling again and something jumped out. Trixie readied herself for the worst...

...but it was just a young filly, a unicorn to be precise. In the blink of an eye, she snatched up some of Trixie's unfinished food and galloped away along the river!

"Hey!" Trixie shouted. "Get back here!" When the thief continued running, Trixie used her magic to levitate the small pony and stop her progress. "What do you think you're doing?" The cerulean mare said. "Nopony steals from The Great and Powerful Trixie."

"I-I'm sorry," the filly squeaked out. "I'm just a little hungry. I figured such a pretty mare like you wouldn't mind sharing a little food with me..." she said in her most sympathetic voice possible. Trixie blushed and was surprised by the young pony's comments. "Pretty? I-... hmph. Very well. The Great and Generous Trixie will share with you."

As the filly began to munch away, the older pony eyed the younger one up and down. She was a pale shade of gray, somewhat silvery. She had a short, dark blue mane and tail, and golden eyes. She looked absolutely exhausted and like she hadn't eaten in days.

"So... what's your name?" Trixie asked. "The name's Hazel Shine. And don't forget it," she replied. What happened to the timid pony from just a few moments ago?

"Are you traveling alone?" "Sure am," Hazel replied. Trixie was once again surprised.

"Aren't you a little young? Where are your mother and father?" Trixie asked, somewhat concernedly. Why was she so worried about this little pony who had tried to steal from her?

"I don't need them," the gray filly replied, refusing to make eye contact with Trixie. "I ran away from our house in Horseshoe Bay. I'm going to become the best magician ever. They probably don't even miss me." This sounded familiar to Trixie somehow. _I can't let her wander around these woods by herself... _she thought.

"It just so happens that I know a very famous magician by the name of Maximillion, and was heading to Horseshoe Bay to meet him," the blue mare stated.

"Wow! You actually know him?" Hazel said excitedly.

"Indeed," the older mare replied. "If you let me bring you back to your mom and dad, I'll let you meet him. Deal?"

The filly pondered this for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. "Weeeeell... fine. I guess so."

"Good," Trixie said. "Let's g-"

"Can I ride on your back?" Hazel said out of nowhere. "E-excuse me?!" Trixie replied in a flustered manner. "Do I look like a great and powerful taxi to you? You can walk." Hazel pouted in reply, but to no avail. Finishing the last of her food she and her new friend set off together for Horseshoe Bay.

…

An hour or two later, the pair had made relatively good progress toward their destination, and fortunately the rain had held off for now. Trixie still wasn't exactly sure why she was doing this.

"Do you know lots of magic?" Hazel asked. She hadn't stopped talking the entire time. "Yes," Trixie replied.

"Are we almost there?"

"I don't know."

"Do you have a coltfriend?"

"What?!"

"Where'd you get that cape and hat?"

"Unh! _Must_ you ask so many questions?" Trixie said, exasperated.

"Well, _SOR-RY,_" Hazel said dramatically. "I _thought_ you would be a more interesting pony to talk to."

Trixie was at her wit's end, yet somehow, talking to this young pony made her feel... happy? Maybe she actually enjoyed having somepony to talk to? This wasn't like her at all.

_Nonsense, _Trixie thought to herself. _The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need friends._ _Friendship is for weak mares like Twilight Sparkle._

But still, there was something appealing about this young filly. She reminded the blue unicorn of another pony from long ago – the only pony she had ever called her friend.

– **12:34 PM, Many Years Ago, Canterlot Public Park –**

It was just after noon on a warm sunny day, and Trixie was doing the same thing she did almost every day – playing with her closest (and only) friend, Bella. She was a light blue color similar to that of Trixie, with a shiny silver mane, and dark green eyes. She was a unicorn, just like Trixie, and the two did nearly everything together, whether it was running around, playing a game, practicing magic or just doing nothing. It wasn't that Trixie didn't want more friends, but making them had never come easy to her.

Today they were practicing a levitation spell with a rock they found in the park. Trixie hadn't been able to do this spell yet, but Bella was a natural. Trixie wasn't jealous, but instead admired her – even if it was too embarrassing for her to admit.

"I don't know, Bella," Trixie said. "I don't think I'll ever be able to do magic like you can."

"It just takes practice. You'll get it. I know you will," her friend replied.

…

After a few hours passed it was time to go home. Trixie was excited as earlier in the day, she had finally managed to levitate the rock off the groud! She couldn't wait to go home and tell her mom and dad.

"Want to come back again tomorrow?" Trixie asked her friend.

Bella seemed upset about something, like she was about to cry. "What's wrong?" Trixie asked.

"I'm sorry, Trix... I can't," Bella answered "My family, we're... we're moving. Tomorrow morning."

"W-What?!" Trixie replied, shocked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry. I just didn't know how," the young squeaked out. "B-Bye."

With that, Bella hugged her best friend and ran off. That was the last time the two ever saw each other.

– **6:53 PM, Present Day –**

It had gotten late and started to rain, so Trixie and her young companion had decided to make camp and complete their journey tomorrow. The younger pony had continued talking the entire time, yet the older one was now actually enjoying their conversations.

"Wow! So you actually put on magic shows?" Hazel beamed.

"That is correct," Trixie replied, somewhat proudly.

"Do you think you can tell me some stories?" The young filly asked, her voice full of excitement. Trixie still couldn't quite believe it. No one had ever taken an interest in her like this before.

"I suppose so. Pay attention, for I shall regale you with the legendary tales of The Great and Powerful Trixie!"


End file.
